Liquid cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus in the form of a cooling tower having an air outlet and drift eliminator at the inner top area and above the point of entrance of the liquid flow to be cooled, together with fluid distributor means leading flow to a plurality of top panels lying in a horizontal plane and which, as to each, have two series of apertures, one series being air orifices and the second series having means for holding depending flow-receiving elements in register therewith, there being a plurality of bottom panels of form similar to the said top panels but which have only air orifices at the tops of upwardly directed areas intermediate channel formations, the bottom ends of the flow-receiving elements lying below the said air orifices and in the channel formations. The said bottom panels provide cool-fluid reception means and they discharge into a network of flow means which preferably is adapted to concentrate the flow to one or several points for removal through the cooling tower. At the base of the cooling tower is an air inlet opening below which the structure is adapted, as desired in some cases, to incorporate one or more liquid reservoirs. At the top of the cooling tower, or at one or more upper side areas, suitable fan means for upward movement of cooling air, may be provided.

Mar. 5, 1974 LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS Inventor: Albert S. Toth, 32Broadway, New

York, NY. 10004 Filed: Mar. 29, 1971 Appl. No.: 128,868

US. Cl. 261/112, 26l/DIG. ll Int. Cl. B01d 47/00 References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1/1891 Klein 261/112 8/1968 Norback et 31.. 261/DIG. 11 x12/1968 Szucs et all 261/DlG. 11 x Primary Examiner-Frank W. LutterAssistant ExaminerWilliam Cuchlinski, Jr.

Field of Search ..26l/112, DIG. 11; 55/240, 7

above the point of entrance of the liquid flow to be cooled, togetherwith fluid distributor means leading flow to a plurality of top panelslying in a horizontal plane and which, as to each, have two series ofapertures, one series being air orifices and the second series havingmeans for holding depending flowreceiving elements in registertherewith, there being a plurality of bottom panels of form similar tothe said top panels but which have only air orifices at the tops a ofupwardly directed areas intermediate channel formations, the bottom endsof the flow-receiving elements lying below the said air orifices and inthe channel formations. The said bottom panels provide coolfluidreception means and they discharge into a network of flow means whichpreferably is adapted to concentrate the flow to one or several pointsfor removal through the cooling tower. At the base of the cooling toweris an air inlet opening below which the structure is adapted, as desiredin some cases, to incorporate one or more liquid reservoirs. At the topof the cooling tower, or at one or more upper side areas, suitable fanmeans for upward movement of cooling air, may be provided.

1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAR 51974 SHEEF 2 0F 3 FIG. 4

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A m/ev/Er LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS The invention will be described withreference. to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a schematic vertical section through an embodiment of theinvention and indicating the position of one of the flexible flowreceiving elements.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a suitable arrangement ofthe top distributor panels.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through an area of one top panel, showingtwo flow receiving elements held thereby in apertures providing liquidflow around the flow receiving elements. 1

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one top distributor panel.

FIG. 4a is a schematic transverse section taken on the line 4a4a, FIG.4.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one lower panel and thus as indicated, as toposition, in FIG. I. I

FIG. 5a is a schematic transverse section taken on the line Sa-Sa, FIG.5 to show the position of the lower ends of the flow receiving elementsrelatively to the lower panel.

FIG. 6 is a schematic, section taken transversely of spaced'upper andlower panels with flow receiving elements suspended from the upper paneland lying in collection channels of the lower panel below air-passageapertures.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a suitable cooled fluid collection arrangementfor the plurality of associated distributor panels above it.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that it shows anarea of the tower casing 1 containing an upper distributor panel 2 and alower distributor panel 3. schematically shown at 10 is a flow receivingelement. At the top of the casing is indicated a fan stack 5, with 6 adrive motor for fan-means (not shown). At 7 is indicated a drifteliminator and which in practice may be a wide mesh screen or of latticeformation.

Referring to FIG. 2 it will be noted that a plurality of side-by-sideupper distributor panels are employed in the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention, and the said Figure shows at 8 the liquid inlet pipe andits branches so arranged that the liquid to be cooled will be equallydistributed over the said group of upper distributor panels. Referenceto FIG. 3 will best show the form of each of the upper distributorpanels 2 and that the said panel is formed with spaced troughs separatedby upwardly projecting hollow peaks, and each preak is provided with anorifice for the upward passage of air, one of the peaks being designated8 and one of the orifices'being designated 9. Also it will be seen thateach trough will be provided at its base with a plurality of spacedorifices each to receive flow receiving element 10. Each orifice will beof greater diameter or thickness of the flow receiving element, so as topermit flow of fluid down and over the septa, and suitable means, suchas pronged wedges in said orifices, will hold the flow receivingelements suspended. Such wedges are indicated at 11. In said FIG. 3flowing liquid is indicated at 12 as it passes down the flow receivingelements, two being shown.

With reference to the peaks 8 they may be conical or rectangular inform, and the troughs run at right angles exterior the peaks and as toany of the top distributor panels the troughs are in mutualcommunication.

As to the spacing and relation of the top and bottom panels, this isbest shown in FIG. 6, which while schematic, shows that the suspendedflow receiving elements 10 are led at their bottom ends into the troughsof the lower panel 3 and hence below the air orifices of the peaks insaid panel 3. The said lower panel 3, which may be termed a collectorpanel" of the group of said panels corresponding to the group of upperpanels, is similar to upper panel 3 but without orifices for the flowreceiving elements.

The plurality of flow receiving elements may be of one or a combinationof natural or manufactured materials, including dacron, nylon, syntheticresins, manila.

'sisal, fiberglass and paper; and if an inflexible flow receivingelement is imcorporated it may be of ceramic, metal, wood, etc. The flowreceiving element material may be of monofilament or multifilamentcharacter and fabricated in straight, twist or braided form. The sizesare variable as desired. The flow receiving elements are attached onlythe top panel in general prac tice.

Referring to the top panel and the troughs thereof, the upwardlyprotruding ends of the flow receiving elements may be immersed in aliquid preferably from one to two inches deep in the troughs and, asstated, below the level of the orifices in the peaks 8 of said toppanel. Thus sufficient waterway is provided in said troughs or channelsto convey the fluid to each flow receiving element in equal rate to theothers of the depending flow-receiving elements, and the latter may beof such character that the liquid saturates them and partially flowsthrough open interstices therein, and, of course, flows along theirexterior surfaces, while air rises alongside and the cooling process isperformed. Liquid reaching the bottom panel leaves the flow receivingelements, which are immersed in the troughs or channels of the bottompanel 1 to 2 inches, for example, and below the'orifices, and passes tothe cooled collection system and outwardly of the casing.

The panels above described may be fabricated from reinforced plasticmaterial, reinforced fiberglass, steel. aluminum or other satisfactoryrelatively rigid material of sufficient strength; and they may be of anysuitable shape or size depending on the function of the cooling system,but preferably are in rectangular form such as squares measuring 2 to 5feet in width. The depth of the panels may vary, with 4 inches depthbeing suitable.

Referring to FIG. 7 which shows the collection member below the lowerpanels 3, and acting for all of the latter, it will be seen that thesaid collection member I4 is bordered with communicating channels 15which ef fect flow of cooled liquid to a final channel or pipe 16, thelatter communicating with any form of suitable outlet means. Also insaid FIG. 6 it is shown that branch channels may be employed, branchchannels I7 and 18 extending transversely of channel 19, so that thedirections of flow may be controlled as indicated in part by the dottedlines. The said collection member I4 may have sufficient rearward tilttoward pipe 16 to stimulate liquid flow thereto, and the margins mayhave upwardly directed flanges extending above the marginal channels, aswill be understood without further explanation.

Summarizing the invention, the cooling of water and other liquids isachieved by effecting the flow of such liquid downwardly in many thinlayers, as by a plurality of flow receiving element groups, while air isintroduced through a bottom (lower) panel. Air is exhausted through aplurality of orifices in the top panels. Each flow receiving elementpasses through an appropriate top panel via an orifice larger than thethickness of the flow receiving element and projects several inchesabove the lower surface of said panel, and the flow receiving element issuspended at said orifice, as by a pronged or channeled wedge engagingthe flow receiving element at two or more points and held by the edge ofsaid orifice to allow open area between the flow receiving element andsaid edge.

In operation, the assembly of top panels act as distributor means forthe liquid to be cooled, and the groups of flow receiving elements actas conductors for the liquid. Thus the liquid is conducted downwardthrough a prescribed length of the flow receiving elements groups andthen collected by the lower panel. The up-flowing cooling air may be ofnatural or induced draft.

The lowering of the temperature of the water or other liquid may becontrolled by several features of the invention. The factors affectingtemperature loss in the liquid include the size or diameter of the flowreceiving elements, its length as to the individual flow receivingelement, the material and structure of the flow receiving element, thenumber of flow receiving elements per unit of area, the size of the airorifices and their number per unit of area. The degree to which water orother liquid may be cooled is limited only by the air or cooling gastemperature and its relative humidity relative to the treated liquid andits distribution. For example, every square inch or multiple thereof maybe furnished with a flow receiving element and an orifice, providing 144flow receiving elements and orifices, for example, per square foot.

It will be understood that the form of the elements illustrated in thedrawings, and their mutual relation, may be modified within the spiritof the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is as follows:

1. A liquid cooling apparatus in the form ofa cooling tower having anair outlet, means below said outlet for entrance of the liquid flow tobe cooled, at least one top panel lying in substantially a horizontalplane below said outlet for the liquid flow and having two series ofapertures, one series being air orifices and the second series belowsaid air orifices having means for holding depending flow receivingelements with fluid flow space around them, at least one bottom panelhaving air orifices at the tops of upwardly directed areas intermediatechannel formations, a plurality of flow receiving elements held by saidtop panel and depending therefrom and having their bottom ends lyingbelow the air orifices of the bottom panel, and means for collecting anddischarging cooledliquid received from said bottom panel, the top panelbeing formed with a plurality of spaced upwardly directed peaksapertured at their tops to form air orifices, the top panel at the baseareas being formed with a plurality of apertures each associated withgrip means holding a depending flow receiving element in such mannerthat liquid may flow along the said element from said top panel, thebottom panel being in combination with a collection trough member,having a plurality of flow-guiding members for the liquid received fromsaid bottom panel, said flow guiding members being adapted to directflow of said liquid in a plurality of directions and thence to a pointof discharge of said collection trough member.

1. A liquid cooling apparatus in the form of a cooling tower having anair outlet, means below said outlet for entrance of the liquid flow tobe cooled, at least one top panel lying in substantially a horizontalplane below said outlet for the liquid flow and having two series ofapertures, one series being air orifices and the second series belowsaid air orifices having means for holding depending flow receivingelements with fluid flow space around them, at least one bottom panelhaving air orifices at the tops of upwardly directed areas intermediatechannel formations, a plurality of flow receiving elements held by saidtop panel and depending therefrom and having their bottom ends lyingbelow the air orifices of the bottom panel, and means for collecting anddischarging cooled liquid received from said bottom panel, the top panelbeing formed with a plurality of spaced upwardly directed peaksapertured at their tops to form air orifices, the top panel at the baseareas being formed with a plurality of apertures each associated withgrip means holding a depending flow receiving element in such mannerthat liquid may flow along the said element from said top panel, thebottom panel being in combination with a collection trough member,having a plurality of flow-guiding members for the liquid received fromsaid bottom panel, said flow guiding members being adapted to directflow of said liquid in a plurality of directions and thence to a pointof discharge of said collection trough member.